News from the 510: BBQ Hut Now Open, a Flap at Bakesale Betty, Kitchener's Takeout Window

We’ve been tracking this one for a while, and it looks like ~BBQ HUT~ on the edge of Rockridge has opened, serving traditional American barbecue. Yelpers have uneven reports, but, well, that’s what happens when a place is brand-new. It looks like the menu has brisket, ribs, and chicken, available on sandwiches or platters, along with a few sides, with all sauce on the side. There’s also cold beer. Hours are daily 10:30am-8pm. 6400 Shattuck Ave. at Alcatraz, Oakland, 510-285-6628.

There’s been a bit of commotion on Twitter and Yelp about a change in the size (and the bread!) of ~BAKESALE BETTY~’s iconic fried chicken sandwich. Apparently, it’s now on a smaller roll, and is a smaller sandwich, at a smaller price. And the internet is not happy. Update: We didn’t hear back from the crew at Bakesale Betty until after press time, but we did eventually get some details on the changes. Owner Alison Barakat says that the decision to make the change wasn’t easy, but ultimately they were faced with either raising the price of the sandwich significantly, or changing the size. The ingredients are all the same, and the bread is still from Acme, it’s just a different size and shape roll. The sandwich now contains closer to four to five ounces of chicken, down from the previous six to seven, and costs more than two dollars less. Barakat also reports that many customers have let her know in the shop that they appreciate the change (many couldn’t finish the larger size), and hopes most customers can appreciate why the change was made. 5098 Telegraph Ave. at 51st, Oakland, 510-985-1213.

A tipster sent us news about the takeout window project at ~KITCHENER~, and it looks East Bay Express has a lot of details. Kitchener is an industrial kitchen in Oakland where food trucks, caterers, and other burgeoning food businesses can rent space for cooking and prep. Now, owner Sophia Chang is giving up her office space for two takeout windows. Every day, several of the 36 cooks in the building will sell their goods out of the window, offering a constantly changing selection. Chang hopes to keep the windows open from 7am-11pm, meaning the different vendors could change as often as every couple of hours; this is what a day’s schedule could look like.

The project will require some funds to enlarge the windows and bring the area up to code. To raise money, they’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign. Pledges start at a mere $5, and for only $10 you get some delicious treats, like empanadas from Javi’s Cooking or a (vegan, gluten-free) ice cream sandwich from Green Girl Bakeshop. 372 24th St. at Webster, Oakland, 510-835-5885.

They’re also throwing a Kickstarter Bash in San Francisco on Thursday February 13th from 6pm-10pm at the Folsom Street Foundry. The party is free, with food and beverages available for purchase to benefit the project. There will also be live music and a photo booth, plus, y’know, lots of fun. 1425 Folsom St. at 10th St.